


Cloudy or Bright

by endemictoearth



Category: My Mad Fat Diary
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-17
Updated: 2013-03-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 09:59:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4344104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endemictoearth/pseuds/endemictoearth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Rae and Finn start dating, Rae gets chatted up at their favorite record shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cloudy or Bright

Rae had lost a bit of weight over the past few months. Not that much, she was still ‘full-figured’, as her mum liked to say. But she was now a true size 18, whereas before she’d nearly needed the jaws of life to get out of that red dress she’d tried on in the high street. However, being a few pounds lighter, and having Finn by her side, she’d gained some confidence. She smiled more and stood up straighter. She wore mascara nearly every day, though she had no plans to master a full makeup routine (much to the chagrin of Chloe and Izzy). These changes, combined with her therapy, meant she had begun to feel pretty good about herself for the first time in years. Not great, but good.

Finn was really pleased about the changes in his girlfriend. Obviously, he’d liked her just as she was before, but she had evolved and become even better, and he loved seeing her grow happier. He was proud to think he had even an iota to do with that happiness. 

When they first started going out, Rae was often gripped by impotent jealousy when girls would come up to talk to Finn like she wasn’t there. He would always set them straight in about ten seconds flat, but Rae still ended up feeling like shit. However, in the past couple of weeks, Finn had noticed more guys eyeing up Rae. None had approached her to his knowledge, but he figured it was only a matter of time. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if some bloke came up to chat Rae up in front of him. Just the thought of it made his blood boil. 

***

They were at their favorite record store one Saturday afternoon, and they’d split up to check out different sections. Rae had gotten interested in some female singers from the ‘40s and ‘50s: Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Sarah Vaughan, among others. While she was looking at some Big Band albums, a young man in a shiny suit jacket and skinny tie came over. She didn’t notice him until he spoke. 

“What are you lookin’ for?” He asked, standing a little too close.

She was sitting on the floor flipping through the vintage vinyl, and thought someone who worked there was checking on her. She started at the surprise, and responded quickly with the her standard “Oh, just browsin’.” She looked up from her cross-legged position and raised an eyebrow when she noticed he didn’t have a name tag. “Why d’ya want to know?”

“Oh, no reason. I’m just usually the only one in this section.” He smiled down at her. “Are you into swing? Swing music, that is?” 

She stood up, feeling at a disadvantage on the floor. Even at her full height, she was still a couple inches shorter than him.  “Oh, um, I don’t know. We were talkin’ about Ella Fitzgerald in my music class, and I got curious. She’s not bad.” She looked around for Finn, and saw he was engrossed in the Punk section.

“I’m Gary, by the way.” He put his hand out for her to shake it, and she looked at it like it was a hot poker. Just then, Finn had looked up to see where she was, and when he saw her talking to another bloke, his face clouded over. Rae was gingerly shaking his hand, when she glanced back at Finn and shrugged her shoulders, as if to say, “I don’t know what’s going on.” He strode over as fast as the aisles in the store would allow.

“Hi, there. I’m Finn. Rae’s BOYFRIEND.” He stared Gary right in the eye and stuck his hand out. He had turned to smile at Finn and shook his hand quickly. “Oh, hi.” Gary glanced back at Rae, “So that’s your name, Rae? What, is that short for Rachel?” Finn tensed and waited for Rae’s response.

“Well, it’s not short for Raymond.” She looked straight at Finn as she said this, a lopsided smirk on her face, and he couldn’t help but laugh. So did Gary. “Good one!” he said, still laughing. It was as if he hadn’t even registered what Finn had said, and Finn was getting pissed.

“Um, it’s been … nice? . . meeting you Gary, but Finn and me have to be goin’.” Rae went to stand next to Finn, and Gary just kept smiling. “Okay, cool. Maybe I’ll see you around here another time!” He circled his finger in the air and she didn’t know if he meant the section, the store, or the general vicinity. She nodded instinctively, and then looked perplexed. “Yeah, maybe.” She then grabbed Finn’s hand and led him outside.

“WHAT was that abou’?” Finn asked her when they were standing on the other side of the entrance. His eyes flashed with anger.

“I don’t bloody know, do I? He nearly tripped over me in the aisle and then just started talking to me.”

“He fancied you, Rae. I could tell.” Finn looked down, shoved his hands deep into his pockets, which caused his shoulders to hunch up around his ears. 

Rae crossed her arms and shook her head. “No, he didn’t! He was just exci’ed that someone else was in his favorite aisle.”

Finn scoffed. “Bollocks.”

“Well, even if he did fancy me, it doesn’t matter.”

“Course it does, Rae! I don’t want other blokes hittin’ on ya!“ He chewed the inside of his lip out of nervous habit and sighed. "But I guess I can’t stop ‘em.” 

“He was NOT hittin’ on me. He was just bein’ … friendly, I guess.” Even as she said it, she started to doubt it. Maybe he WAS hitting on her. She wasn’t used to anyone but Finn paying any attention to her. And she was totally fine with that. Then a thought occurred to her. “Oh! Ha! So now you know how I feel all the bleedin’ time!”

Finn looked at her, confused. “Wha’ d’ya mean?”

“When all those girls kept coming up to us and drooling on ya in fronta me.” She smirked at the unexpected turn of events. 

He looked down and kicked his instep. “I never wanted those girls to do tha’,” he said quietly.

“I know that, you daft bugger!” He looked up at her, worried. “Are you seriously jealous of a guy in a weird suit … and TIE … who only listens to … I don’t know … Dean Martin records?” she chuckled.

“I’m jealous of any guy who looks at you like he was,” Finn admitted. 

She smiled at him. “Finn, that’s sweet. But, don’t you know …” Her smile widened and she threw her arm out dramatically to croon, “I ONLY have eyes FOOOORRRR YOOOUUUU!” 

Finn burst out laughing, and grabbed her round the waist, bringing her in for a kiss. 

***

(The song I had in mind for Rae’s serenade at the end: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkVbgnL_E6o>)


End file.
